English Springer Spaniel

Feed a high-quality dog food matched to your Springer's age and activity level, whether puppy, adult, or senior. A formula made for medium-size dogs is a sound option. Because Springers can put on extra weight, monitor portions carefully to hold a healthy weight, and check with your vet about any concerns over weight or diet.

Feeding frequency shifts with age:

• Puppies: at least three meals a day on a consistent schedule
• Adults: two meals a day

The right amount varies from dog to dog. Lifestyle, age, weight, and activity all shape portions, especially for a dog that spends a long day outside. Most food bags list a feeding guide with the total to give over 24 hours, so follow the manufacturer's recommendation and confirm the amount with your vet.

Treats help with training but add up quickly, so count them toward daily calories and keep them under 10 percent of the total. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, and avoid cooked bones and high-fat foods. Some human foods are safe for dogs and some are not, so learn the difference.

For a Springer in sporting activities, glucosamine and chondroitin can support joint health, and omega-3 supplements can support the joints while helping keep the skin and coat soft. Always talk with your vet before giving any nutritional supplement.

Brush the coat once or twice a week. Brushing removes dirt and loose hair and keeps the coat shining and free of mats, and a slicker brush or a metal comb works out any tangles. Routine trimming, ideally by a professional groomer, keeps things neat, particularly the feet, the areas around the head and neck, and under the tail. Regular grooming and trimming also keep the skin healthy, so Springers need no special skin care.

The long, fur-heavy ears make Springers more prone to ear infections, and regular trimming around them improves air flow. Check and clean the ears often with a dog-specific ear cleaner, which is formulated to the right pH range for dogs and contains drying agents.

Trim the nails regularly, since overly long nails are uncomfortable and can make walking and running harder. Brush the teeth at home and pair that with professional dental cleanings and dental chews, because good dental hygiene matters for long-term health.

Springers usually need no special eye care. If you notice changes in the eyes, such as discharge, call your vet.

English Springer Spaniels are high-energy dogs that need plenty of daily exercise and mental stimulation. They prefer living indoors with their family and enjoy long walks, runs, and hikes. With enough exercise the breed can suit a small house or apartment, though a large fenced yard where the dog can run with its people is closer to ideal.

Daily exercise can come as long walks and play sessions. The breed also works mind and body through field trials, hunting, tracking, agility, rally, and competitive obedience. Springers love water, too, and retrieving tennis balls and floating toys lets them put their swimming ability and athleticism to use.

Regular exercise and enrichment help keep the Springer's gentle, amenable temperament intact. Springers are not heavy barkers, but they may bark to signal they are ready to play or to greet other dogs and people, and that habit can develop if exercise and socialization needs go unmet. Given plenty of chances to romp outside, a Springer will settle into most homes, though anyone away for long hours should think it through, since these dogs love being near their people.

Start early. Socialization and puppy training classes help the Springer grow into a well-adjusted, well-mannered companion. The breed is good-natured, intelligent, and obedient, which makes it relatively easy to train, but it is lively and forward, so continued training and gentle guidance stay important and you will want to stay in control as the dog explores its environment.

Springers are food-motivated, so use treats to reward giving up retrieved objects and to manage guarding tendencies. They respond well to patient, gentle methods and enjoy working. Puppies take time and patience and adapt to different living environments when you commit to their exercise and enrichment.

English Springer Spaniels need regular company and usually interact politely with people of all ages. Long, repeated periods alone can lead to unwanted behavior, so the breed may not suit households that are away much of the day.